Among the more widely used metal chelators is the compound ethylene diaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). EDTA is used in industry and in food products because it is relatively non-toxic. However, it is not a naturally occurring compound. Therefore, it cannot be used in "natural" food products.
There is a need for a metal chelator which can be used in "natural foods."
Calcium disodium edeate, a salt of EDTA, has been used in medicine to treat lead and cadmium poisoning. Penicillamine also has been used as a chelating agent in medicine. Neither EDTA or penicillamine are believed to be effective in chelating iron in vivo. It would be helpful to have a natural chelating agent for iron as it is believed that the effective chelation of iron in vivo could be of great value in the inhibition of membrane peroxidation. Such chelation could prevent the occurrence of Fenton-type reactions and subsequent damage by hydroxyl radicals of membrane sites that are involved in the induction of various pathological conditions, including the initiation of carcinogenesis.
There is a need for safe and effective methods of chelating metals, such as iron, in vivo and a need for safe and effective compositions for use in such methods.